Low Voter Turnout In America Essay

In Canada, voter turnout has become a major issue; as there is a large amount of the population that does not vote in elections. Back in 2008, a total of 58% of the countries` population voted in the election. This is a startling low number, which since has begun to increase only slightly in recent years. In a democratic society, voting is essential for it to function with its full potential. Doing so enacts one of your basic responsibilities as a citizen, as well as shows that you are staying involved in your community and government. The serious lack of voter turnout contradicts this responsibility. There are individuals who speculate that it would be beneficial to make voting mandatory, with repercussions for those who do not vote.

I believe that Americans should be required to vote. Compulsory voting allows everyone to have a say about who they think is fit in the government. It allows the polls to be more accurate and the number of votes increase. Required voting allows those who can 't or don 't have time to make it the day or time off work. Requiring people to vote is like a boss requiring his employees to get to work on time, it 's short and easy but also important and effective.

What’s the best right that we have in Canada? Well, of course it’s the right to vote. In Canada, everyone is entitled the right to vote as long as they fit 2 requirements which are to be a Canadian Citizen and 18 years of age or older. It might have taken a while for some particular groups to get the right to vote, but today all groups are allowed to vote if the 2 requirements are met. Canadians have been voting since 1792 in Upper and Lower Canada elections, but have been voting in one united election in 1867, when we formed as one united nation known as Canada. From the 1867 to 1963 Canadian federal elections, the voter turnout has been relatively high. Since then, voter turnout has been descending where in the 2011 election only 61% of Canadians decided to vote. In the

In 2012, the year of the latest presidential election in the United States, the population of citizens capable and legally allowed to vote was 235,248,000; however, only 129,235,000 voted, making the voter turnout of 2012 54.9%. This statistic, being only slightly over fifty percent, makes the opinion of the other half completely irrelevant. The outcomes of the presidential election do not accurately portray the opinion of the nation due to the low voter turnout. Due to the lack of time, the complication of registration, and the opinion of voters that their individual vote does not matter, the voter turnout of the United States has been negatively impacted; however, these issues can be resolved through effective means of changing the mindset

However, there are several ways to combat this problem. One way to get more voters to show up at the polls is have election officials mail ballots to all registered voters. This makes it easy for registered voters to select their candidates on their own time. This method to obtain more voters is in place in two states currently, Oregon and Washington. This method has proved effective because “in the 2010 midterm elections, just [Oregon and Washington] exceed 70 percent participation” (Koas). Another solution to the low voter turnout would be to allow citizens to cast their votes online. Although this is susceptible to fraud, they can limit the votes per person by only allowing one vote per IP address or by issuing each registered voter an account login. This method would allow people to cast their vote in a matter of minutes at their own time. The last suggestion that could increase voter turnout would be removing the registration process to vote. Younger voters are not familiar with the voting registration process or they think it is too complicated. This unfamiliarity and thought of the process being confusing deters the younger people from registering to vote in the first place. By removing this process, voters can just show up to cast their votes and move on with their day without worrying about this potentially confusing process. These three methods combined could increase the voter turnout for each

Viewed as one of the healthiest democracies in the world, the United States is always referred to as an example that other countries should follow. However, one of the key characteristics of a healthy democracy is a high voter-turnout. If people do not turn up on Election Day, it is likely that they do not see the point of holding elections or the conditions are not suitable for them to vote. People vote because they believe that their vote has the power to make changes in the country. Voter apathy often develops when voters do not see voting as a way of voicing their concerns. America therefore continues to tread on risky ground, if a way of increasing voter turnout is not found.

“ While compulsion of any kind is a restriction, so is the compulsion to drive only on the right side of the road.” ( “Is It Time To Consider Mandatory Voting Laws? Worsening Voting Statistics Make a Strong Case.” by John W. Dean.) One way voter turnout can increase is by compulsory (required) voting. So, should Americans be required to vote?There are three reasons why Americans should be required to vote: voting is the least you, as a citizen, could do for your country, compulsory voting proves that the rate of votes go up, and if you make people vote it will give them knowledge about what they do not know.

Throughout the recent years the majority of the able voting population are exercising their privilege to vote. Even during the presidential elections the voter turnout rate was 50% or less than that. The act of voting should be a personal responsibility of every citizen meaning it should be a obligation. But to specify on this statement, it should not lawfully required to vote because people also have the right not to vote too (and it would be weakening personal liberties) , but it should be a personal responsibility for citizens if they are to complain about how the government run rather than every citizen. A personal responsibility is when we are the cause of our own actions. Through voting we are responsible on who gets into office. Elected representatives are responsible more many choices

Registering to vote can be a deterrent for many people because it requires effort to file all the correct paperwork and stay in good standing, which may be the cause for low voter turnout within Texas. Although voter turnout has been steadily climbing within recent years, Texas is still on the lower end of the spectrum for voter turnout in America. Many are eligible, but few send in their ballots or show up to the polls on election day. The projected voter turnout is measured by the state's voting age demographic, eighteen years and older, and further estimated based on ethnic groups.

There are a number of differences in the demographics between the ones that are and are not politically involved. Older people tend to vote more than the younger people by their concern toward the government, as well as the number of white Americans voting more than the other minority races would. The educated will vote more than the uneducated by having more knowledge of the election, along with families with higher income of over $65,000 having time to vote than the low income ones of $35,000 or under. The ones who shows party identification would want to get involved in politics, whereas independent individual would not care as much. People who grew up with specific ideology would want to have a say in politics, in contrast to those who did not.

Voting should be an guarantee for every citizen of the United States of America, and having to go through the forms of Voter Suppression shouldn’t be a option.Voting is a element in life that should be offered to people with the requirements, and every vote counts. As Barack Obama once said, “ Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we

As stated in the prompt voter turnout in the state of Texas is amongst the lowest in the nation. Many people seem to be confused or in awe as to why Texas has such a low voting rate. The truth in reality is that there are quite a few reasons why the turnout in Texas is so low.

The United States of America Prides itself on its extensive democracy--it is one of the most free places in the world--so why is it that a citizen has the right to vote, and is expected to exercise it, when it could be potentially pointless to cast a ballot? The answer, is the Electoral College. The Electoral College was established because our founding fathers dictated that their citizenry was incapable of making informed decisions, and they thought it best that the central figurehead of the nation be decided by men like them. That is false now--the Electoral College is an antiquated system that needs to be abolished because it is an inaccurate representation of what the people want, it forces people to throw away their vote, and most importantly,

FRANKLIN: Alexander Hamilton as a federalist representative, please explain in a brief summary on why a national government would be more essential opposed to an anti-federalist's view on having a state government.

Specific Purpose: To inform the audience about the lack of participation of college students in elections.